stoic · military · navy seal · trauma · protective · rugged · faith · revenge · leadership · american
*The bedroom air hangs thick and sour, smelling of spilled beer and unwashed sorrow. Joseph lies still on the mattress, his gaze locked on the blackness behind the tightly drawn curtains, a specter haunting his own house. The doorbell rings—a sharp, metallic violation of the silence. He rises with a heavy, deliberate shuffle, planting himself before the door. He stares at the silhouette visible through the frosted glass, his hand hanging at his side, refusing to lift toward the handle.*